Chapter 19: Buried Sands Myth

"These bugs get really annoying at times. Not only are they the only ones in this region, the meat of the insects is very sticky. And you won't be able to eat majority of it due to either poison or the possibility of encountering more!"

Fire Axe had just killed an arachnid, this was a famous arachnid capable of producing pit traps to kill others to eat. Each trap is noticable by the unusual encounters and the depth. If it did not match with the surrounding features, it would be definitely a trap and if the pit is a cone shaped pit, it was obviously a trap. But they had to take their time to kill it.

These Pit Trap Spiders are keen on their senses, and can tell one's location by vibration and smell. The eyesight of the arachne is also great, but due to the fact that they lay waste in the pits mean they would be unable to use it.

These low frequency sounds is very similar to the call given by ants when they rub their attenae of possible food, calling foreign reinforcement to its side. It was a mutual relation with the insects of the same region as the Pit Spiders are usually scavengers just like the vulture. The ants would generally leave the waste that can not be eaten while the spider would eat the remains with ease with its powerful mandibles. The mandibles could easily tear a hole through armor with flesh along with it.

They had just encountered the third one after progressing through the strip of the Forgotten Sands, a rather unlucky encounter and with its strength, needless of its soul power, were durable and evasive.

The monster would use its powerful legs to drill holes into its opponents like skewers and with their ability to absorb food from their legs, it was also quite a slow and painful experience.

"No matter how much times you smash them in the head, they will attack with little care of the world."

Fire Axe used the brute force of his axe available with a horizontal strike, the vertical strike would be hard to land with the spider's evasive ability. The Beast Soul of these spiders were hard to come by and rarely ever came, it would be of no surprise if they did not get one.

But as of now, they had also required their first beast soul, being one of the ants of the same species as the one that attacked them earlier.

The specie's name came along with the soul as it appeared to be a chestplate, of the Burrowing Fire Ant. It was an incomplete variant which left the right arm unprotected. Aside from the fact the armor of the ant is terrifying with the protruding spikes that would definitely deal damage if someone struck it, one could equip another incomplete variant which covered only the right arm. Which meant one could actually equip two beast armors and use its defensive, offensive, or evasive properties to good use.

These came with good price and was much higher than the rest of the beast souls sold at that level.

The rarities of beast souls are also quite astonishing, even though they appear in the markets frequently.

Ordinary Beast Souls usually came at a price of 1,000 to 4,000 depending on what type and quality it had. Abnormal Beast Souls came at a astonishing price of 25,000 to 90,000. Primordial Beast Souls came at 500,000 to 1,000,000. And one but not least, Saint Beast Souls came at the price of 50,000,000 to 500,000,000.

But usually the prices could be changed by who the seller is, but these were the usual prices to entice buyers to purchase them. If it was something that was an odd case of a beast soul, the price could be exponentially higher than its peers if given a sufficient reason.

The prices were utterly insane, and it would increase if one were to proceed to the next gate. Beast Souls in the Second Gate were much more stronger but could not pass through the gate barrier so only those in the same gate could buy them.

If one were to buy a Saint Grade Beast Soul by the market price in the Third Gate, no one would question at least several hundred of billions or a trillion credits! With a trillion credit, one could already buy a whole solar system with bustling planets filled with resources and have some to spare.

"With this beast soul, we'll probably be able to not go hunt for a month!"

They seem rather happy, hunting in the Soul Realm was always playing on the edge of life and death, the majority took it seriously.

Tomahawk was really hyped with the beast soul acquired from his brother, even with appearances, Fire Axe was barely 25 with his large body and refined beard. Tomahawk was just 22 and he looked way older than Fire Axe but was shorter. Ju Dun was the oldest of the bunch at 28 and kept his tall body to good use for the team, his nature as kind also gained him the nickname as the Friendly Giant, but he didn't really like the name.

"Let's get a move on, we have another two weeks before the deadline."

"It's been awhile since we first got here, it's been two days so lets get some rest and prepare once more."

They walked quite a distance and the sun was still up due to no time differences, but one could feel it getting awfully cold, signifying it was night.

"A tip if you travel in a region frequented by monsters, and need a rest, it's good to have a repellent along with you."

He pulled out a bag that was getting soaked through, dripping with a yellow stock left out a bad odor all aroound.

"These are monster repellent bags with urine of Saint Grade monsters. The hierarchy of monsters are usually termed by their strength or purity, they would never want to go into their territories where they hunt."

But at the same time, it was a double edged sword.

"But make sure you don't pull it out when walking, if a Saint Beast actually encounters you entering their territory with the scent of another, they would come in contact to fight."

He placed the bag and dripped some of the thick liquid into the fire they started as the odor became the smell of burnt spoilt potatoes. Tomahawk began fanning it to get the fumes all around them. Making sure to waff it around so the scent was all around.

They began setting up camp with some meat of the spider they killed earlier. The Pit Trap Spider were lone wolves and tend to avoid one another, even more so when they smell the scent of their species being burnt.

It was a lesson to learn to warriors that they shouldn't use their prepared rations until necessary as all food could become one's harsh battle for survival.

Though the flesh of the spider was extremely sticky and had a distinct smell, it was a delicacy to some.

Everyone all got a leg and were about to munch, but Bai Li rummaged through his backpack to see two containers. One was five spice and the other was the traditional salt and pepper. He remembered the words from his Granny that he should try to eat good food even when in trouble, it's healthy to keep your stomach the ability to taste. The Heavens gave us our taste buds so we can taste the variety of flavors.

"You should really pack your backpack with useful resources." Bai Li paid no heed to the comments made by Tomahawk.

"You want some?"

"..I'm not complaining."

Tomahawk poured a hefty amount of the five spice and began munching it. Soon passing it to the others. The food became much more edible to them, it seemed that the group had little experiences when it came to eating bugs since they usually hunt in the Savannah, but they chose this route since it would get them there quicker.

Everyone finished their meals and drank their water, they were now having some conversations about the mission and other life troubles.

All went well easily.

"Oh yeah, did you know?"

Bai Li turned towards Fire Axe. "Know what?"

"The reason why they call the region the Buried Sands is that an ancient ruin is located here."

He was shook, not knowing due to his little knowledge of the Soul Realm.

"What ancient ruin?"

The fire tried to illuminate the face of the storyteller but due to the lighting issue, it was all the same color.

"It was said to belong to an ancient emperor before he was anihilated by another kingdom. He and his citizens then holed up here in the Buried Sands to hold their defenses, crowing their treasures as a keepsake. But the opposing forces was too powerful and the ancient emperor vowed to bury his enemies with the sand. They didn't heed his cursing but were soon later enshrouded by the sands. The sands laid here ever since this day."

He was very excited to hear what little history was found in the Soul Realm. The history class they had in the material world didn't have much material over the history of before its reclamation.

"Is there anymore?"

Bai Li was very interested in the topic, but after he said those words, Yue Yong went in a hysterical laughter.

"It's just a rumor kid, don't get your hopes up. Humans have roamed these areas for 2,000 years and even still couldn't find anything."

It was true, with two milenniums of time to pass without discovering something, it would be plausible if it didn't exist. But who knows, it wasn't out of the equation that their was a possibility that it does exist, just that they weren't searching hard enough.